Twitter

This past week we had the chance to experience some special times in the Willamette Valley, labeling our 2012 Pinot Noir Magnums and visiting friends throughout the area. The 2012 vintage in Oregon is being hailed as the ‘vintage of the decade’ with storybook conditions for bud break and harvest, with ripe and healthy fruit. I strongly recommend purchasing all of the 2012 that you can find; some to enjoy now and more to lay down, as it will get better with age.

On Monday evening we enjoyed some fantastic wine country hospitality courtesy of my dear friend Alex Sokol Blosser, Co-President/Winemaker of his family’s winery, Sokol Blosser. We enjoyed a selection of local cheeses and fresh vegetables from the garden along with their first release of Evolution Sparkling wine, a delicious choice for a gorgeous Oregon Summer early evening. Sitting on the back patio, amidst the Pinot Noir vines and great company, it was a perfect night.

Tuesday morning, we ran by my favorite place to start the morning in McMinnville, Community Plate, operated and owned by Scott and Courtney Cunningham. This is truly a ‘power couple’ in the Valley, who both have hearts of gold and believe in where they live. I love having a chance to see these two friends, and of course enjoying my morning Hazelnut Milk Latte, a CP specialty!

Heading deeper into the country side, we made our way over to Elk Cove Vineyards, the family winery that happens to make our delicious wines. Catching up with various members of the ECV team, who are all fantastic people, we spent some quality time with Heather Perkin, Associate Winemaker, who was good to taste us through some of the 2012 Single Vineyard wines and the 2013’s in tank, resting.

After getting some wine in our glasses, we began the task of hand-labeling our 2012 Magnums. Let me tell you, this is not an easy process; lining up the labels on the bottle, making sure there are no bubbles, keeping the label straight and making sure everything looks good before peeling off the backing. It took some time, but was well worth it seeing those 36 (only!) magnums lined up, ready to find new homes.

Coming back from our accomplished task, we stopped in Carlton and had a chance to enjoy lunch for the first time at The Horse Radish. I was EXTREMELY pleasantly surprised by the quality of food, service and overall experience. I had a locally raised, shaved ham sandwich on gluten-free bread with fig jam which was delicious, paired with a bottle of 2012 Penner-Ash Rubeo, a blend of Pinot Noir & Syrah.

Ending the day of tasting, we stopped in to see some friends over at Stoller Family Estate before they closed, tasting a variety of their valley offerings, including back vintages. Funny enough, I think my highlight was actually their 2013 Rose of Pinot Noir, which was bright, lightly acidic, vibrant and full of flavor.

On Wednesday we ventured to see an old friend of mine, Margaret Barry, Director of Consumer Sales at Raptor Ridge. Let me say, if you have never been to Raptor Ridge, GO NOW! It is a gorgeous tasting room set atop the Chehalem Mountain range, with vines that cover the hillside and fantastic views over the valley. We had a chance to taste through their line up and have some great conversation over cheeses and meats on their tasting room patio, what a great way to spend a morning in the wine country! And, before we left, Margaret encouraged us to head out to the winery entrance and pick some Rainier Cherries off their trees, since they had so many. I’ve never picked cherries before, but being at a vineyard, grabbing this fresh stone fruit and tasting how ripe and delicious it was, was truly special.

Bouncing around the valley some more, we visited Lee Medina of Sokol Blosser Winery, popping into their beautiful tasting room for a hello and quick taste of their new wines, before grabbing a late lunch at the Red Hills Market in Dundee, the Willamette’s baby-brother version of Oakville Grocer in Napa. This is a great place for a cup of Stumptown coffee, quick lunch stop or centrally located meeting point, as most of the valley runs through there during the day at some point.

We then headed over to Bergstrom Winery, to taste their latest releases and visit with Erik, their Tasting Room manager. I personally believe that Josh Bergstrom, winemaker and owner, is one of the most talented winemakers in the valley and I have always enjoyed his wines. The star of the show was completely unexpected, their 2012 Sigrid Chardonnay. I truly felt like I was drinking a White Burgundy; it had the polish, austerity, flavor, oak profile, fruit, depth and was just a joy to drink. Erik and his team’s hospitality was fantastic in an idyllic setting, really special to enjoy.

Wrapping up the collection of days, we had our traditional dinner at Nick’s Italian Café in Downtown McMinnville. Nick’s has been feeding the valley’s finest since 1977 and is THE winemaker’s hangout to share stories, swap bottles of wine and just to catch up with friends. It has always been a casual spot to grab a bowl of pasta or pizza, but the menu has really been modernized with even more local produce and farm raised animals, courtesy of Nick’s son in law, Erik. I love visiting this spot as it reminds me of the vast resources of the Willamette Valley and how you can truly embrace them.

It was another fantastic collection of experiences in the valley with an amazing group of people who are embracing the culture of hospitality and sharing their part of the world with visitors. I’m glad that in a small way, we are a part of that fabric and am thrilled to be able to show others what Oregon is all about. And remember, if you have a story, pictures enjoying Labor or would like to place an order, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

Hope that Summer has been treating you well and you’ve been enjoying some time with friends and family. There are only a few weeks left of this beautiful season (disappointing, I know), but football season is fast approaching and along with the 2013 harvest on our end. It’s an exciting time for us at Labor Wines, as we’re also going to be bottling our 2012 Pinot Noir in a few weeks (early, I know, but that’s what happens when you have a warm vintage in Oregon), before we let it sleep in the bottle until next April/May for you to enjoy in 2014.

Another small, but important piece of information for Labor is that we are now accepting credit cards! For now we are going to be taking Visa and Mastercard.

Many of you have purchased wine from us previously, but I’m not sure if you’ve had our two more recent releases, the 2011 Pinot Noir and the 2012 Riesling. I would love to have you all taste out these wines and share them with you friends. Let me know if I can arrange shipping and set you up with some new bottles.

And remember, if you have a story or pictures enjoying Labor, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

One of our favorite cities where you can find Labor Wines is New York City. There are so many reasons why this is the case but for me personally, I spent my childhood years growing up in New Jersey, always going to the ‘City’ for dinners, events and gatherings. Even more so, we have had the pleasure of having our wines there since the initial 2009 vintage and each month we’re getting a better presence in NYC through our distributor, RAD Grapes. When the opportunity was presented for me to host a wine dinner at Sarabeth’s Restaurant in Tribeca, I jumped at the chance!

One of my dear friends, Angela ‘Mini’ Caudle, serves as general manager and has been a very loyal supporter of Labor Wines since the beginning. She was thrilled to have us come to NYC for this occasion and visit her restaurant. In working together, we were able to pair three of our wines with 4 courses from Sarabeth’s culinary team. The evening’s menu is below, but I can tell you not only was it delicious, but the wines were a perfect pairing for each course. We were able to feature our 2011 Pinot Blanc, the 2012 Riesling and our 2011 Pinot Noir. We held the dinner on Tuesday, June 4; traditionally a quieter evening for the restaurant, but with our event, it definitely brought a buzz in that night.

The dinner was a smashing success with over 50 people attending! I had the pleasure to welcome well over 35 guests who were friends of Labor and contacts that we have known which made the evening extra special. I can’t thank enough each and every one who came out to support us on this weeknight.

The event would not have happened without the amazing guidance and support courtesy of Mini Caudle, their General Manager who is not only a fantastic industry professional, but an amazing person. I can’t thank her enough for her support for Labor Wines and dedication to what we do; allowing us to be a part of her restaurant on their wine list and host this wine dinner. In addition, her staff was fantastic; the service was impeccable and the execution by their culinary team was wonderful.

I can’t wait to return soon and hopefully host a second dinner. We will be sure to keep everyone posted well in advance. And remember, if you have a story, pictures enjoying Labor or would like to place an order, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

We hope you are getting in the Spring spirit, and perhaps our news will help warm you up and think of sunshine and enjoying a bottle of wine or two! We wanted to let you know that the newest wines from Labor Wines are now being released! We are extremely excited for these and can’t wait to have you taste them.

The 2011 Pinot Noir is the result of a very interesting vintage where it was extremely cool for almost all of the year, until the last month of harvest when the sun came out and temperatures were extremely moderate right before harvest, allowing a true integration of sugar and acid, resulting in a very balanced wine. On the nose you have a slight smoke and spice box, with red fruits and touch of creaminess with the integration of French oak and the juice, the true hallmark of our Pinot Noir. For this year’s Pinot Noir we produced 405 cases and are really happy with our steady growth as a winery.

Our 2012 Riesling is the second white we have made and this year we wanted to change it up a touch. The fruit we were able to source comes from vines between 35-38 years old, all from vineyards in the Yamhill-Carlton and Chehalem Mountain AVA’s, 100% stainless steel fermented and has been made in a dry style. This wine has dried apricots on the nose and a touch of pears; as it warms up the Riesling takes on a viscousness with fruit, acid and sugar extremely well balanced. This is an extremely small production wine, with only 112 cases made.

The Pinot Noir is available for $25.00 a bottle/$300.00 a case and the Riesling is $18.00 a bottle/$216.00 a case, both plus shipping. If you would like to get your hands on these wines, feel free to reach out to us via the website, email (Corey@LaborWines.com) or via phone, (855.503.9463).

As well, we are currently in the process of planning our Spring schedule for visits around the country. It’s looking like we are going to have a few wine dinners/events happening, starting with Las Vegas (May and June) and possibly New York City in June as well. Be on the lookout for us to visit Colorado with a potential Arizona trip too. If you’d like us to come to your city or have any ideas, drop us a line on our Facebook page or via Twitter and we’ll try to make it happen.

We look forward to catching up with each and every one of you soon and if you’re interested in some wine from the great state of Oregon, we can definitely make this happen!

Well friends, a few days ago we were notified that a wine writer and reviewer in Memphis, Tennessee – Frederic Koppel of BiggerThanYourHead.net, had a chance to sample our Pinot Noirs from the 2009 & 2010 vintages. Knowing that we have distribution in his city and Memphis has an educated wine population and culture, we were very curious to hear what he had to say. Let me tell you, his review was fantastic!

I’ve attached a link to his post on the wines here, but to give you a brief idea, on the 2009 he says,

“In the mouth, the wine is a finely shaped amalgam of lightly sanded woody spices, dusty graphite, elusive tannins and clean, vibrant acidity, all working in concord with delicately spiced and macerated black and red fruit flavors. The finish is well-knit, sinewy, spicy.”

On the 2010, he notes,

“The ’10 is a bit spicier than the ’09, but it maintains, at all costs, a spirit of spareness and elegance that makes it easy to drink for its winsome fruity qualities yet demanding for its dry, rigorous character.”

As well, Mr. Koeppel rated both wines “excellent!” This is something that we are thrilled to share with each of you and a very happy day for us at Labor Wines as well. Stay tuned for the upcoming Spring release of our 2011 Pinot Noir and a cool surprise on the white wine front as well!

If you have a story, pictures enjoying Labor or would like to place an order, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

With the cooling temperatures around the country (well, for the most part), craziness in weather and storms (our hearts and thoughts go out to our East Coast friends as they recover) and sudden inundation of the holidays, we wanted to bring you some cheer and updates from Labor Wines.

As many of you know this past Sunday, the 4th, we held our first Labor Wines & Local Swine dinner for the Sunday Italian Feast, held at Nove Italiano restaurant at The Palms in Las Vegas. We were asked by our good friend, Chef Geno Bernardo to pair up on this event, with the plan to host it quarterly moving forward at his restaurant and hopefully around the country together. Chef Geno tapped into his farm in Pahrump (45 minutes outside of Vegas) for the two pigs for the dinner and all of the vegetables; quite an accomplishment actually.

The evening started with a cocktail reception featuring the very versatile Bacardi Oakheart Rum (quite delicious, if I do say so) and appetizers all pork themed, including chicharrones with pork belly and bacon caramel corn. As we moved guests into the dining room, after an introduction by Chef Geno, Rachel Wenman of the N9NE Group (owner of the restaurant) and myself, we started the 4-course feast, culminating in the slicing and presentation of the two pigs; one done in a Porchetta style, stuffed with farro and cous cous, the other which was roasted. As a finale, Geno led guests into the restaurant’s private dining room, where he unveiled the great porkiness culmination of desserts including chocolate covered bacon, bacon brittle, bacon cupcakes and bacon chocolate chip cookies.

The night was a hit! We had a wonderful collection of guests join us to kick off the inaugural event and starting making plans to host the second one. Take a look here for some photos of the event, courtesy of SpyOnVegas.com and here for photos courtesy of the N9NE Group.

We can’t wait to do it again and have a chance to embrace the Winter season with our wines and local swine. Stay tuned and watch out for upcoming details.

Additionally, we are almost to the end of our current vintages, anticipating a sell-out of the wines extremely soon. If you haven’t had a chance to get your hands on these wines, I have a few select cases that I’ve being saving for our friends. As well, as surprise, we discovered a few cases in our warehouse of our 1st release, the 2009 Pinot Noir and I’m making them available for sale! These are the last few cases, so if you’d like to have any of the wine from our inaugural vintage, let me know and I can make it happen for you.

And, to keep you in the loop, we’re going to have a few surprises upcoming as we enter into 2013 that we hope to share with you soon. We can’t thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship, as Labor Wines continues to grow each and every day.

If you have a story, pictures enjoying Labor or would like to place an order, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

With Memorial Day Weekend just days away, I wanted to take a moment to let you all know about some pretty cool events coming up for us here at Labor Wines.

This Saturday, May 26 we will be holding our 1st ever Las Vegas tasting! The event is FREE and all over the age of 21 are welcome to attend. Corey will be pouring our newest vintage of 2010 Pinot Noir at Marche Bacchus from 11:00am until 1:00pm (or until the wine runs out!), who’s thirsty? For those of you that have not been to Marche Bacchus before, it is a very cool wine shop and restaurant in the Lakes run by very good friends of ours, Jeff & Rhonda Wyatt.

We hope you are able to join us!

The next event coming up is going to be on Friday, June 1 at the Hostile Grape, at the M Resort in conjunction with Sonny and Chris from Rock n’ Roll Wine. We’ll be pouring both wines complimentary from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, then the wines will be available by the glass for the rest of the night during the live music performances. And, as a reminder, this is also a 21 and over event, so please leave the kids at home. Sonny and Chris of Rock n’ Roll Wine are great guys and longtime supporters – we’ve been fans of theirs and their events here in Las Vegas for years, so please come down and support!

Looking forward to seeing you at one or both tastings if you can make it and as always, thank you all for your constant support and love of wine!

If you have a story, pictures enjoying Labor or would like to place an order, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

Just wanted to share with you some photos from our recent tasting at The Hidden Vine in San Francisco. Click on the link here and it will direct you to the album on Facebook.

Hope to catch up with you all soon – all the best and stay thirsty!

If you have a story, pictures enjoying Labor or would like to place an order, feel free and share with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

It’s time for some wine! After selling out of our first vintage (2009 Pinot Noir) extremely quickly, to which we can’t thank each and every one of you enough, we are thrilled to announce the release of TWO wines – both from the Willamette Valley. Our first white wine, the 2011 Pinot Blanc, is now ready for you to taste and try, and our 2010 Pinot Noir, has just been labeled and is jumping out of the bottle!

The Pinot Blanc is a bright, flavorful white – indicative of the vintage, with great balanced acids and flavors of lemon and Granny Smith apple, along with litchi and Asian pear. All of the fruit comes from the Yamhill Carlton and Chehalem Mountains AVA’s and we believe that this varietal is a natural pairing for its sibling, Pinot Noir, and flavor-wise is a great complement. The Pinot Blanc is a great wine to pair with any type of cuisine as it is extremely versatile, especially Asian flavors as it cuts through the spice or just to sip while on your patio in the backyard. This wine is available to you at $16.00 a bottle, $192.00 a case, plus shipping.

Our Pinot Noir is an extremely balanced wine from the 2010 harvest, with lower sugars and structured acid. The nose has a slight smokiness to it with red and dark fruits coming through the palate, finishing with some chocolate and plum. Serve with oysters, roast chicken and halibut, or just have a glass with friends. The Pinot Noir is $25.00 a bottle, $300.00 a case plus shipping.

The wines are now available for you to purchase and can be shipped starting on Tuesday, April 8th. Feel free to email, call or contact me directly so I can get your order together for you!

As always, thank you for your support and friendship during our journey of Labor Wines. Also, we’d love to hear from you – please share your experiences, pictures and adventures with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.

Hello friends! I hope that everyone is shaking off the Winter blues and that you can feel Spring coming right around the corner. Here at Labor Wines we are excited to tell you about our newest releases and yet another first!

This week our 2011 Pinot Blanc is going into the bottle! This is going to be the first white wine from Labor and we’re only producing 112 cases. We wanted to keep it small for the first vintage and really focus upon the quality for each of you to enjoy. For those of you unfamiliar with Pinot Blanc, it is an Alsatian grape varietal that, in Oregon, is best known as a balanced wine with good acid, straight forward as a pairing for the table or by the glass. The vineyards we sourced from are all located in the Willamette Valley, coming from the Yamhill Carlton District and Chehalem Mountains AVA’s. We are hoping to release the wine at the beginning of April and it is going to go quick, so make sure you reserve your case today!

Additionally, the 2nd vintage of our Pinot Noir, the 2010, is being labeled at the beginning of April and will be ready mid-April/beginning of May for you to enjoy. This wine comes from a smaller harvest with lower yields than 2009, showing more red fruit qualities with higher acids and lower sugars. While ready to drink right away, this is a vintage that will last for years to come and will welcome time in the cellar, if you’d like. Everyone I have spoken with in Oregon is excited for this vintage, since at the beginning the year started out extremely cool and then gave way to a gorgeous harvest. We are very happy to be able to share our 2010 with you – for those who haven’t tasted Labor Wines just yet, get ready!

Don’t forget, when you are enjoying a bottle of our wine, make sure to take a picture and share it with us on Facebook or via Twitter. As well, you can always email me directly, Corey@LaborWines.com or call on cell, 702.466.0987.